Peggy Ballard Bailey

On March 31, 2025, God sent his angels to her residence in Orchard Gardens to set His faithful servant, Peggy Ann Ballard Bailey, 88, free. Peggy’s journey began on November 2, 1936, in Smithfield, Virginia, where she was raised, attended and graduated from Isle of Wight Training School in 1955. As a child Peggy recognized and accepted Christ as her Savior, leading her to join Main Street Baptist Church, known then as Hill Street Baptist, pastored by Rev. S. R. Williams. She loved MSBC and her church family. Until her health began to fail, she actively attended and served in ministry with the Adult Choir, the COVID-era Praise Team, Sunday School, Readers Guild Coordinator, After-School Tutoring Volunteer, Learning Center Volunteer, and the Couple’s Ministry. She was a charter graduate of the Mother Goose Kindergarten sponsored by Hill Street Baptist Church, a pre-cursor to MSBC Learning Center.

While in school Peggy met and later married her best friend and high school sweetheart, the love of her life—Russell R. Bailey Sr., who predeceased her. Their union was blessed with five children: Lenore Jenkins (Samuel) Hampton, Virginia; Russell R. Bailey Jr. (Shauna) New Orleans, Louisiana; Gregory T. Bailey (Janeen) Topeka, Kansas; Arlene Eley (Joseph) Elberon, Virginia, and Darlene Byrd, Surry, Virginia. During the early years of her marriage, Peggy remained home to nurture and cultivate their children with a Godly spirit while Russell worked traveling the highways as a long distance truckdriver. It was during that time she donned the nickname “Queen of Hearts.”

She later worked various jobs within the area, including, but not limited to, V. H. Monette, IOW Public Schools as a substitute teacher, and the Town of Smithfield as a dispatcher. She had a radiating smile that would brighten any room. She was a true woman of God with a loving and gentle spirit that allowed her the pleasure of becoming a surrogate or even a second mother to many that she met.

In her spare time Peggy enjoyed playing the piano, shopping, eating out, playing bingo and spending time with her daughters doing what they liked to do best (smile). After the passing of her husband she would spend time studying her Sunday School lessons, taking daily walks through her neighborhood on nice days, sitting outside, as she would say, “on the dock of the bay,” looking forward to phone calls from her sons and enjoying quiet time.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents and sisters: Aileen Ballard, Willie Morris Osby, and Edith Foster; her brothers: Donald Ballard, Richard “Dickie” Spratley Jr. and Gene Spratley. In addition to her children, she leaves to cherish her memories, her sister Judy Lyttle (James) Surry, Virginia; 14 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, along with a host of nieces, nephews, family, neighbors and friends.

Humbly, we yield to God’s sovereign, perfect will. We trust and obey; there’s no other way.

At 2pm on Sunday, April 6, 2025, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at Main Street Baptist Church. The only viewing will take place one hour prior to the service at 1pm on Sunday. Interment will follow the service at Emmanuel Baptist Church Cemetery, 11150 Emmanuel Church Road, Smithfield, VA 23430. Please keep the Ballard and Bailey family in your thoughts and prayers.